Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Wars and ConflictsΒ  permalink

Jozef, can you help?

• Message 1.Β 

  Posted by Dirk Marinus (U1648073) on Thursday, 28th July 2005

  
  I was reading through some old information and came across a World War 2 story of a Joe Jezioranski who seems to have been a member of the Polish AK during the Warschau uprising.
  
  Anyway he mentioned the Berling Army named after a General Berling .
  
  I can vaguely remember such a name being killed in peculiar circumstances by the Russians when they entered Poland.
  
  Can you give some more info on this? What did actually happen?
  
  Thanks

  Link to this forum: Jozef, can you help?

  Report message1

• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Jozef (U1330965) on Thursday, 28th July 2005

  Hi Dirk
  
  Check this address out:
  
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zygmunt_Berling
  
  In the brief spell when Poland and the USSR were allies during the war, Stalin 'magnanamously' released most of the Polish POWs still alive and held in his gulags. Those who got out first, joined Gen Anders's 2nd Corps, which later, after a v. long trek via Persia and the Palestine, captured Monte Cassino. Those who didn't make it in time joined Gen Berling's Kosciuszko Infantry Div and fought alongside the Red Army. But when they reached their native Poland and on the other side of the Vistula the Warsaw Rising raged, Berling could hardly stop them from wishing to help. In effect he broke Stalin's orders, and so was dismissed. But his troops went on fighting all the way to Berlin.
  
  Berling later returned to Poland, joined the communist party, became a minister of forestry or something and died in 1980. In communist times, Poles only heard about Berling and the People's Army (i.e. Berling's Army); Anders, Maczek and all those others who fought on the western side were all taboo subjects. Gen Sikorski was, for various reasons, the notable exception.
  
  Hope that helps.
  

  Link to this forum: Jozef, can you help?

  Report message2

Back to top